The Urban was one of our favorite lights last year as it delivered an honest 500 lumens in an incognito unit. This year, claimed output is bumped up to 550 lumens and we measured their output at 604 lumens.

The mountain biker still cannot turn the side lights off but that’s not a big concern when using this as a helmet light (since it won’t bother the rider). Check the photo below to see if the ‘always on’ side lighting will bother you in a dark trail. But it remains as one of the lightest units at 113 grams that can pack a 600 lumen punch.

Specifications:

Price: $160

Claimed Lumens: 550 Lumens

Measured Lumens: 604 Lumens

Measured MTBR Lux: 55 Lux

Light Head Weight: 113 grams

Installed Weight: 113 grams

Run Time: 1.5 Hours

Category: Flashlight/Commuter

2013 Lights from Light and Motion

Strengths:

Excellent light output and beam pattern

Good switch action and logic

Excellent flashlight

Good value at $160

Bar and helmet mount are included

Different price points are available

Side lights are great for commuting safety.

Weaknesses:

It can get hot since there’s not a lot of heat sink area

The yellow side lights can get annoying for mountain biking applications and they can’t be turned off.

Mount can not be taken off easily to use this as a handy flashlight

There’s very stiff pricing competition in this category

Mounting:

Handlebar mounting is done with very slick strap that can be tightened based on the rider’s preference. The same strap is used for standard and oversized handlebars. At first we found the strap too long and found the excess bothersome but we realized we can loop the strap back in the pin and tuck it neatly. It can be aimed left to right. There is an included helmet mount and it works very well. The light can be aimed up/down and left/right. The light is 110 grams so it’s hardly noticeable on the helmet.

We photographed the lights in the same location setting with the same camera settings. The photos were taken in the back yard that is approximately 25 yards long. These photos feature many objects and a distinct background to analyze detail and beam pattern.

The location is useful since it has walls and a ceiling that can display a bike light beam pattern. The walls have a lot of graffiti on them and actually show detail when they are lit up by a light with a wide angle. Cones and targets are set up with the far target set up at 80 yards.

The founder of mtbr and roadbikereview, Francis Cebedo believes that every cyclist has a lot to teach and a lot to learn. "Our websites are communal hubs for sharing cycling experiences, trading adventure stories, and passing along product information and opinions." Francis' favorite bike is the last bike he rode, whether it's a dirt jumper, singlespeed, trail bike, lugged commuter or ultralight carbon road steed. Indeed, Francis loves cycling in all its forms and is happiest when infecting others with that same passion. Francis also believes that IPA will save America.

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